Getting Nerdy
with MPE

Creative Brief

Goal: Help members understand the complexities of rate design and the impact on them by connecting it to their own lifestyle and usage.

Tone: Serious and complex topic, approachable delivery. We leaned  on empathy and plain-language explanations to break down a  complex topic.

Deliverables: An integrated annual meeting campaign, including annual meeting presentation, animated video, annual report, email campaign, social content, print and digital advertising, and event activations.

Team

Strategy:Rachael DeRossi
Art Direction:Kaitlin Newman
Copywriting: Jacqui Somen
Graphic Design: Nikol Smiley
Email Marketing: Crystal Wise
Web Development: Muhammad Shoaib

The Spark

Mountain Parks Electric needed to explain a complex rate change without losing member trust. Rather than opening with technical detail, we opened with a question every member was already asking: What do rate changes mean for someone like me?

That question became the seed for “Getting Nerdy with MPE,” a persona-driven campaign that turned rate design into a set of relatable characters, that represented common member profiles, and were tied to one of MPE’s four mission pillars: safety, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.

Our Solution

We started where every good rate story should start: the data. Working through MPE’s cost-of-service study alongside rate class data, we identified usage patterns and themes that could drive greater understanding of electricity bills.

From there, the Nerdy Personas took shape. Each member persona was built around a recognizable member perspective, illustrated, and refined under close creative oversight.

From the Client

“The Annual Meeting collateral and planning has come together so well. I appreciate your creativity and organization, and all the hard work of the whole TMD team!”

– Aaron Street, Vice President of Member Relations & Communications at Mountain Parks Electric

Project Approach

The nerdy personas didn’t just live on a slide, they showed up everywhere members are, including:

A six-week email countdown building anticipation ahead of the annual meeting
Social content, print ads, and SmartHub promotion keeping the theme visible
An animated video and scripted persona presentation breaking down rate design, persona, by persona
Annual report design and copy carrying the same characters  and voice
Annual meeting event activations, including a photo booth, an oversized pedal bike, and a “Watt Price Is Right” game, turning a business meeting into an enjoyable experience

Impact

The results spoke for themselves.

ATTENDANCE

300

Members

RATING

4.62

Out of 5 Stars

SURVEY RESULTS

80%

Describing the theme as engaging or very engaging

SURVEY RESULTS

90%

Of attendees rated the round-table discussion good or excellent

MPE’s 2026 annual meeting was its most-attended to date, drawing nearly 300 members to engage directly with staff and leadership. Post-event survey respondents gave the event an average rating of 4.62 out of 5 stars, with 80% describing the “Getting Nerdy with MPE” theme as engaging or very engaging, and 90% rating the round-table discussion good or excellent.

More than attendance numbers, the campaign changed the conversation, replacing uncertainty about rate changes with a clear, personal understanding of how MPE arrives at the number on the bill.